News Time with Game Gumshoes: GenCon Mega Update

Since there is less than a week until GenCon I thought I’d do a mega-update of stuff going on there.

Electronic Gaming at Gen Con 2016

Digital event organizer eBash will host more than 1000 video gaming events in 60% more space at Gen Con 2016! The giant eSports Arena will feature hourly play from 8 am until 2 am each day of the show, both on LAN and online! Popular returning tournaments such as Hearthstone, League of Legends, Smash Brothers, Call of Duty, Halo, Mortal Kombat XL and more will be joined by hot new competitive titles such as Overwatch, Rocket League, and Street Fighter 5, with multiple brackets each day.

If you like your gaming retro, save your quarters for the Coin-Op Arcade; the walkway towards Lucas Oil Stadium lined with video games! You also can jump into the Arcade in Room 140 to play by the hour with no quarters required!

Also new this year, AllMid will host high-level eSports events for Hearthstone and League of Legends. Test your skills against the best players from all around the Midwest!

Rio Grande Games at Gen Con 2016

Need an idea for a fun Gen Con 2016 activity? Stop by the Rio Grande Games Room (233-236) to play a game or two at one of nearly 100 tables! Want to try out some of their newest releases like Tiffin, Tin Goose, Alan’s Adventureland, or the newest Dominion expansion, Empires? No problem! Rio Grande’s friendly demoers will be happy to teach nearly 50 different games to you from 10:00 am – midnight, Thursday through Saturday.

Firelock Games’ Blood and Plunder at Gen Con 2016

Brandish your cutlass and musket and prepare for swashbuckling adventure on the Spanish Main! Whether you’re marching your pirate army across the Isthmus of Panama as legendary pirate Henry Morgan or terrorizing the Jamaican coasts as the infamous Captain Rivero, Blood and Plunder is a game that is guaranteed to evoke thrills and capture the imagination of miniature gamers!

Firelock Games is gearing up to bring Blood and Plunder to Gen Con 2016! Swing by and experience some Caribbean adventure at Booth 3045 in the Exhibit Hall. They will run events, sing sea shanties, and give away exclusive gear during the Best Four Days in Gaming™!

2016 Food Truck Schedule

The Gen Con 2016 Food Truck schedule is here! There will be more than 40 of Indianapolis’ best food trucks to serve up gourmet dishes with a variety of cuisines. Make sure to scroll down in the linked document to see the schedule for each day. The food truck schedule is subject to change. Click here for the full 2016 schedule.

Wednesday Tapping Party for Gen Con 2016

20-Sided Rye – The Official Beer of Gen Con 2016, brewed by Sun King Brewing, will have its Official Tapping Party one week from today on Wednesday, August 3rd at 5 pm on Georgia Street! Featuring live music from Water Street Bridge (5 pm) and The Way Down Wanderers (6 pm).

Be the first to sip on 20-Sided Rye in cans in the Sun King Beer Garden!* Additional Fresh•Local•Beer options also will be available on draft, so you can sample Sun King’s tasty brews! *Must be 21+ to enter the Sun King Beer Garden.

As always, you can enjoy the craft beer with tasty eats from numerous local Indy food trucks! Want even more Sun King fun?

Sun King will host a Game Night on Thursday, August 4 at 5:30 pm on Georgia Street. Back by popular demand, the 20-Sided Die Rolling Contest (winner takes home a pass to Gen Con 50 & other SKB prizes) will take center stage. New to this year, a Jenga Giant Stacking Contest (winner takes home a Jenga Giant set & other SKB prizes). More games to play including Yardzee, B-Pong, and Jumbo Connect 4!

Georgia St. Celebration Sponsor PlayTable

Do you ever have to crane your neck to read what’s on the board, or stand up to take your turn? PlayTable, the world’s first board game console, gives everyone the best seat at the table with its fresh take on board games.

The PlayTable team has designed elegant ways to accommodate player orientation through a shared digital board space. Unlike playing board game apps for tablet, smartphone, or PC, PlayTable gives players a communal interface for authentic tabletop play.

Then come by Georgia Street on August 4 to experience their digital board games for yourself!

TechPoint’s League of Xtraordinary Programmers

Will you be in Indy for Gen Con? Check out the Indianapolis tech scene atTechPoint’s League of Xtraordinary Programmers. This one night only party for Gen Con techies will feature the opportunity to play yet-to-be released games like Diabolical!from Idea Wall Games and Plow Games’ Last Front, bring characters to life with 3D printers courtesy of 3D Parts Mfg, LLC, experience virtual reality with a demo of the V3 Oculus Rift, and geek out over 400 fellow gaming enthusiasts. Still not sold? This event promises to be an evening where complimentary handcrafted spirits from localHotel Tango Whiskeyflow strong, food is served piping hot, and like-minded techies unite all within walking distance of the Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium! Join them where Gen Con and Indy techies come to party! Get your tickets today to show your skills and join the league!

Join the conversation on social using #LXP2016 and #GenCon2016. Follow @TechPointInd for event updates and news!

Boss Monster in AltspaceVR

Boss Monster is going where no card game has gone before: Virtual Reality. Playable on a VR headset or desktop, Boss Monster VR puts you and opponents from across the globe in the same virtual game room.

Brotherwise and AltSpaceVR will be demoing Boss Monster VR at Booth #2343 throughout Gen Con.

Gen Con is continuing its support for this fun form of creative expression. This year we’ve got a dedicated Cosplay Programming room where panels and workshops will be hosted with emphasis on Cosplay as art form, culture, and hobby for all ages in the newly acquired space, the meeting rooms at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Gen Con is also proud to present the 2nd Annual Crossplay Contest. Crossplay (a mix of “cross dressing” and “cosplay”) has always been a popular part of convention costume culture where attendees create and wear a costume featuring a character opposite of his/her gender. Our event is part costume contest and part RuPaul’s Drag Race – it’s as much fun for attendees as it is for those competing! As promised, this year will include gender bent categories by popular demand!

Now in its third year, the Gen Con Puppet Program has 20 puppet related events to choose from at the show! Whether you want to learn the basics of puppetry, or learn about what it takes to make puppetry a career, there are events for you! The program’s top event, The Late Night Puppet Slam (ENT1694963) Friday night at 11 pm is an hour of hilarious & slightly naughty skits from some of the funniest puppets around hosted by our Puppet Program Guest of Honor, Gordon Smuder. If you want to meet fellow puppeteers, there’s a Puppeteer Meet & Greet (ZED1696921) on Saturday at 7 pm in Crowne Plaza: Pennsylvania Station C.

If you, your friends, or family have yet to purchase your badges, don’t stress. Badges are still available at gencon.com with complimentary 24-hour Will Call pick-up. Please make sure to remember your government-issued identification for Will Call. You also may buy badges on-site at the Indiana Convention Center via Registration kiosk. Gen Con Customer Service only will be reachable on-site, at the Indiana Convention Center, during Gen Con 2016. Event ticket refunds only may be made at the convention center.

Let’s get ready for a great show! Want to continue the conversation? Go to Gen Con’s Community forums or connect on Twitter by tagging your posts with #gencon2016. The Gen Con team loves hearing what you’re excited to see at the convention!

Fantasy Flight Games at Gen Con 2016

Join Fantasy Flight Games at booths #809, 817, 1105, and 1117 for demos, sneak previews, and early releases of some the most highly anticipated new games! Founded in 1995 by CEO Christian T. Petersen, Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) has grown to be one of the premier publishers in the hobby games industry. Having firmly established a reputation for innovative gameplay, immersive gaming experiences, industry-leading customer service, and top quality game components, FFG has maintained an ever-growing business in the board, card, roleplaying, and miniature games categories.

Attend the In-Flight Report at 1 pm on Friday, August 5, for all the latest Fantasy Flight announcements and releases. Additionally, please register for the North American Championship tournaments for X-Wing™,Imperial Assault, Warhammer 40,000: Conquest and more. Enthusiasts of The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game can enjoy the challenging event The Siege of Annuminas. You’ll also find many Star Wars™, The End of the World, and Dark Heresy RPG adventures that FFG will host, alongside much more from Fantasy Flight Games this Gen Con!

Asmodee at Gen Con 2016

Asmodee returns to Gen Con at booths #1619, 1719, 1819 and Days of Wonder will be at booth #1829 for demos, previews, and releases of the most entertaining and engaging board games in the industry. Since 1995, Asmodee has developed and published exciting games for players of all ages. From fun and charming family games to competitive strategy titles, Asmodee and its partner studios have set the standard for thoughtful and innovative gameplay and high-quality components.

Pulling out all the stops at this year’s Gen Con, Asmodee is hosting nearly 150 demos of many fan-favorite and award-winning games! The lineup features such games as 7 Wonders, 7 Wonders: Duel, Colt Express, Concept, Five Tribes, Mysterium, Quadropolis, Splendor, T.I.M.E Stories, Takenoko, Ticket to Ride, and more!

Additionally, fans will get their chance to meet renowned designers Martin Wallace and Eric Lang at the Asmodee booth. They’ll be around all weekend, signing games and answering questions. Bring your copies of Hit Z Road and your favorite Eric Lang games to turn them into unique autographed collector’s items to treasure for years.

A Message from Paizo’s Tonya Woldridge

Art from Cosmic Captive

“Welcome! I cordially invite everyone to visit the Indiana Convention Center’s Sagamore Ballroom and check out the Pathfinder Society. We have roleplaying adventures using the Pathfinder RPG, including much of Season 7, Year of the Serpent, and the beginning of Season 8, Year of the Stolen Storm. In addition, join in our Special Events on Thursday and Saturday nights and our annual interactive scenario on Friday. New for this year, the interactive involves both roleplaying and Pathfinder Adventure Card Game elements.”

“Speaking of the card game offerings, check out the current Season of the Runelords or the new Season of the Goblin. Or go back and fill in missing scenarios in Season of the Righteous or Season of the Shackles. The Card Game Open returns to Gen Con with qualifiers on Thursday and Friday and the final on Sunday morning. Those new to Pathfinder can try a demo roleplaying scenario for free! For the younger gamers, look for games marked Pathfinder Society Academy (PSA). The Academy includes lessons on how to play and youth friendly tables of Roleplaying Guild adventures. With games for the entire family, I encourage everyone to come check us out!” – Tonya Woldridge, Organized Play Coordinator, Paizo, Inc.

You can view and sign-up for all remaining Paizo events at this web page.

Czech Games Edition in Room 121

Ready to play the break out hit of 2015 and the Spiel des Jahres Winner, Codenames? Then, head over to Room 121 to see this and all the great titles that Gen Con Event Partner Czech Games Edition (CGE) has for you to learn.

Reserve your copy of Codenames: Pictures as well as other CGE games at this link.

Want to schedule a time to learn a new CGE game or participate in one of our tournaments? Here is a list of events to participate in at Gen Con 2016.

Bring your badge, invite some friends, and head over to Room 121 to have a great experience at Gen Con 2016 with Czech Games Edition!

Discover Other Worlds: Icons of Fantasy: Epic Journeys Coloring Book

Perfect for colorists interested in gaming or fantasy art, Other Worlds: Icons of Fantasy: Epic Journeys coloring book offers beautiful, detailed illustrations from acclaimed artists Dana Knutson, Mark Nelson, Jeff Easley, and Larry Elmore. Each artist offers an interpretation of their mystical “worlds” in 6 stunning illustrations, for a total of 24 imaginative and beautiful works of art.

Printed on premium paper stock, each image features a solid back with a perforated edge for easy removal and framing. The heavier paper weight resists bleeding and offers a quality finish – the perfect canvas for your choice of pencils, gel pens, colors, or markers. The book’s unique page size (9.75″ x 9.75″) adds an enchanting element to its overall design. With an estimated 12 million activity books sold in 2015 alone, adult coloring books provide many benefits, such as, entertainment, relaxation, and creativity.* In addition to these, Epic Journeys offers great value – premium quality for an affordable price ($14.99). *Nielsen’s 2015 U.S. Industry Year-End Review, June 2, 2016.

Are you following Gen Con on Instagram? If not, you’re missing out on some amazing pics and videos. For instance, the Gen Con 50 (2017) artwork will debut there tomorrow afternoon! Follow the account and get a not-so-secret sneak peek. The social media team also will have exclusive #genconcosplay and #gencon2016 pics there for you to enjoy next week!

Board Game Geek’s *NEW* Hot Games Room

When life hands you lemons … make a resource management game about lemonade production! Due to a recent space cancellation, a room has opened up for an awesome new area to try Board Game Geek’s favorite games from Gen Con 2016. Get yourtickets today!

Gen Con 2016 Social Media Menu

Looking for a heaping helping of Gen Con coverage from the 2016 convention? Above is a quick cheat sheet/”social media menu” that has the official convention social media accounts and hashtags. Tag your posts and photos with #gencon2016, and the on-site team will re-post its favorites.

Remember: always ask permission before snapping any cosplay photos. Cosplay is not consent. You can tag your cosplay and costume photos with #genconcosplay. The Gen Con team will re-post its favorites from the convention. Trying new gaming titles and want to share your opinions on your favorite games? Tag your posts with #trynewgames. Have fun and happy posting!

NUVO Beginner’s Guides at Gen Con 2016

As in the past several years, Gen Con has partnered with Indy’s NUVO periodical to release Beginner’s Guides during Gen Con week. NUVO is a free lifestyle newspaper available throughout Indianapolis, and attendees can find Beginner’s Guides inside ALL NUVO newspapers during Gen Con 2016. Want a map, ideas of events to attend? Show hour reminders? The Beginner’s Guide has all that and more! Grab a NUVO, check out the great Gen Con preview articles, and snag a Beginner’s Guide to help your travels!

What’s Cooler than Cool Events?

There are 16,000+ events in the Gen Con Event Finder. Looking for some more great event options for 2016? Still rounding out your schedule? Check out these events!

Improv Fluxx Design with Looney Labs: Come watch Andy Looney, the designer of Fluxx, create a new version before your eyes on a subject chosen by you, the audience. Look for him later in the convention to try playing it! Improv Fluxx Design, Friday at 4 pm.

Burning Wheel AMA: Have questions about the Burning Wheel RPG? Get them answered by the game’s creator, Luke Crane!

Sneak Peek of HABA’s New Family Games: Love gaming with your family? Join the HABA Germany lead game designer, Markus Nikisch, to play prototype versions of new young-adult family strategy games that will be released this fall.

Indianapolis City Market Catacombs Tour: No rope, rations, or torches are required for this underground exploration of Indianapolis. Get a guided 1.5 mile tour of Indy’s history via a subterranean walk.

Mayfair Games and Gen Con Charity Event Saboteur Tournament: Bring your dwarven mining skills and join us for our annual charity event on Georgia Street. All dwarves will be playing in multiple rounds for a seat at the semi-final and ultimately the final table where 1st place will win a seat in the Saboteur World Championship being held in Budapest, Hungary. All proceeds will benefit The PourHouse, Gen Con’s 2016 Charity Partner.

Mayfair Games Agricola U.S. Tournament Qualifier: Play in this US Qualifier for the Agricola National Championship to try and win a slot in the final on Sunday. The winner from each qualifier on Thurs., Fri, & Sat. will move on to the final. Sunday’s winner will move on to the 2017 World Championship! Must be 18 and permanent US resident.

Pokémon League Challenge: League Challenge tournaments are designed to provide players with small, entry-level events on a local scale. Players in each of the three recognized age divisions can work toward earning Championship Points, potentially earning an invitation to the 2017 World Championships!

A Beautiful World of of Silence: Has the Technocracy bitten off more than it can handle? In its never ending quest to fight the supernatural world has it finally found an end to it all? Join Darkness Remembered for a three night epic Minds eye theater event based in the world of darkness. fighting Pandora Exe and her desire to silence the world as a Mage, Vampire, Werewolf, or Fae.

Knights of the Arcade D&D Comedy Adventure: Drink, eat, & enjoy a hilarious live, interactive performance the popular D&D improv comedy show & podcast, just a short walk from the con at the Tin Roof: 39 S Pennsylvania St #90. Doors open at 8 pm, show starts at 9 pm.

Writer’s Symposium and Authors’ Avenue

Did you know that Gen Con has one of the largest writer’s programs of any gaming convention? You can meet best-selling authors, get your literary questions answered, and more with Gen Con’s Writer’s Symposium and Author’s Avenue. That’s write … that’s right!

This year, the Writer’s Symposium has moved to a great new location on the first floor of the Westin hotel. That’s right writers, it’s even closer to the Starbucks!

Want to meet authors and get your books signed? There’s an entire book-signing area near Authors’ Avenue, located in the Exhibit Hall. Here’s a schedule of the signings. A great local charity, Indy Reads Books, will have copies of select authors’ titles available for purchase with your sales benefiting charity!

This year, Authors’ Avenue features 35 authors and publishers, with 20% being NEW to Gen Con 2016. Come say “hi” and meet your favorite writers!

Critical Role Live Just added to the 16,500+ events in the catalog, check out this event presented by Geek & Sundry! They’ve offered up 25 VIP tickets just for Gen Con 2016 attendees, so get yours before they’re gone!

Gen Con Games Library & Pick-up Play Room Looking for a great space to try before you buy? Learn new games? Crack open and play your Exhibit Hall purchases? This area provides your own little slice of gaming heaven!

Sh*tfaced Game Designers They start drunk you get them drunker! Great designers quest to top each other’s industry tales & game ideas. Mike Elliott, Paul Peterson, Matt Forbeck, Mike Selinker, Elisa Teague, and Ryan Miller will take part in a panel for Gen Con’s Official Charity, The PourHouse, moderated by Gen Con’s own Brian Lewis.

Industry Insider Events With nearly 40 panels and seminars, Gen Con’s Industry Insider program is your pipeline into exciting discussions with members of the game industry! Want to learn more about what makes the industry tick? These events are for you!

First Exposure Playtest HallGen Con is the home to debuting games, but did you know it’s also where tomorrow’s games get playtested? Lend your voice to the game design process at the First Exposure Playtest Hall!

Games On Demand Let your imagination run wild with these fun, free-form RPGs and LARPs. Pick from a menu of your favorite free-form RPGs and LARPs on-site! Sign-up and you’ll find a unique gaming experience!

Battle Tech PodsHop in a pod and control a thirty-foot tall, 75 ton walking tank, blasting your way to victory! Your job is to destroy your opponents while doing your best to survive in this digital battleground!

Around the World in XX GamesDiscover international games at Gen Con! Want to learn more about games from around the globe? This event is for you!

Booster Draft on DemandPlaneswalkers and spellslingers take note! There are round-the-clock Magic: The Gathering games at Gen Con, including drop-in Booster drafts! Bring your generic tickets and play Magic all weekend long for amazing prizes! In addition to these booster drafts, there are numerous other formats of Magic events. Don’t have generic tickets? Use one of these event tickets for entry into any eight-person, single elimination, on-demand Magic event.

Costume Contest – 31st AnnualLove the costumes at Gen Con? Check out the parade, beginning around 3 pm on Saturday, then stick around for the main event! With numerous categories and amazing hand-made costuming, this is a once-a-year feast for the eyes!

Looking for more drop-in event options for last-minute planners? Check out this forum link for great event ideas!

Get your Merchandise Orders in before July 28

All Gen Con 2016 gear is LIVE now in the OffWorld Designs store, including the new 2016 items shown above! If you want to receive your order before the convention, the last shipping date is July 28. After that, this awesome merch is headed to Indy! Skip the line, ensure that OffWorld has your size, and order your items today!

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Game Gumshoes

For the past 7 years I have run the website www.gamegumshoes.com. I provide information about games, reviews of games, missing rule sheets, & travel around playing games with people in the Cincinnati Tri-state area.
I have just found out that there is a piece of coding that I can embed in my Youtube videos that allows people to donate money directly to me. This means I will be able to get more games, Film and write more reviews, & can visit more conventions if I have people donate to my site. I may even be able to bring back the main site.
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